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One SW day at a time

If you're reading back on this in twelve months time, Sally, and you're the same weight or even heavier then I am going to punish you. Remember your old diary and how annoyed with yourself you are whenever you look at how far you had come? WELL THEN.

I am making a fresh start, which means a fresh diary, a fresh CAN DO attitude, a fresh target.

Last year (2012/2013) I lost 2 stones following the SW diet and although it was a slow process weight-wise, I could definitely feel a massive difference in my wardrobe. I had a diary here and that really, REALLY helped me to feel accountable. I cancelled my online subscription in April 2013 as I had also headed back to the gym and was sure that I could keep up the weight loss through calorie control.

I slipped in around June and it's been a pretty steep and very slippery (due to all the fat) slope into me now being close to the heaviest I have ever been. Interestingly the weight has pretty much all collected around my belly so I look completely different to how I've ever looked - and not in a good way.

The weight has really packed on since January when I gave up smoking. I have used not smoking as an excuse to pig out at every opportunity.

I AM MISERABLE. I had to buy a size 18 pair of jeans yesterday. Today I tried on a skirt that used to be far too big for me and it was skin tight and I looked like a weeble. Barely any of my clothes fit me.

I have a hectic social life - I am out every weekend but I need to find some way to factor healthy eating into this lifestyle. I also need to start exercising again as I always feel a million times better when I'm getting the old heart rate up.

I have rejoined SW online again today.

So, let me get some goals down here.

My first goal is to get under 13 Stone. I weigh myself in lbs as my scales are pretty stupid. So 12st 13lbs is equal to 181lbs. That's 9lb to lose.

I woke up as fresh as a daisy after a great nights sleep. I didn't manage to eat any breakfast though as everything I decided to have just sort of fell through. I couldn't have cereal because I was planning on using my HEXA for some feta cheese at lunch. No porridge in the house. No bread. Not much fruit. It was all a bit of a disaster!

After lunch I headed off for a facial which was amazing. I must remember how much I love having them and should go more often.

Went to the pub in the evening and drank lakes of vodka - I think I had about ten. That is ridiculous, but it's so difficult when everyone is buying rounds and no one will take no for an answer. I bloody hate diet coke though. I drank enough of it last night to put me off for a while. Bleugh.

I managed to escape a hangover, which was VERY lucky all things considered! Had some brunch and then set about helping Ma prepare Sunday dinner for 6. I also whizzed up some jalapeño hummus but I went a bit mad and added too much liquid so it's a bit sloppy and VERY garlicky. I've shoved it in the fridge and I'm hoping it might stiffen up a bit. (Heh)

Subbed! 2 days down and well done so far. I happen to think that alcohol is not food therefore not countable! Consider vodka as more an antiseptic so if anything you are now cleansed on the inside !!

Oh and well done for side stepping the gratin - nothing would have got in my way with that shiz!

X

I like your thinking on the vodka - by using this sort of mental gymnastics I think I can probably discount wine as well? . I wasn't too terribly bothered about the potato gratin to be honest - it was the roast potatoes that called to me - they had gone all sticky and crunchy and fluffy on the inside - and then I looked at my celeriac ones and wanted to just throw them at the window!

Oh the drudgery! Why didn't I win the lottery on Friday or Saturday? It's NOT FAIR. First day back to school/college for my two sons this morning, so I waved goodbye to my lie in - the mornings are getting much lighter now though so it's not such a desperate struggle to get up but it's still a wrench!

I did a little meal planning, a little reading through some diaries, a little looking at recipes and a little work. (That last one was a lie. )

I cooked the evening meal and because I was making something the boys will eat as well (and so didn't have to cook two different dinners) I prepared dinner for tonight - Greek lamb with Orzo using up the leftovers from Sunday. Talk about virtuous!

I did have an ulterior motive, however, as my friend is having a party this evening ...yep, I'm out on a school night tonight. I really want to take it easy, so I'm debating telling everyone that I'm on antibiotics or something so that I can get away with just drinking diet coke (bleugh).

Oh the drudgery! Why didn't I win the lottery on Friday or Saturday? It's NOT FAIR. First day back to school/college for my two sons this morning, so I waved goodbye to my lie in - the mornings are getting much lighter now though so it's not such a desperate struggle to get up but it's still a wrench!

I did a little meal planning, a little reading through some diaries, a little looking at recipes and a little work. (That last one was a lie. )

I cooked the evening meal and because I was making something the boys will eat as well (and so didn't have to cook two different dinners) I prepared dinner for tonight - Greek lamb with Orzo using up the leftovers from Sunday. Talk about virtuous!

I did have an ulterior motive, however, as my friend is having a party this evening to celebrate her 1 year anniversary of owning our local pub...yep, I'm out on a school night tonight. I really want to take it easy, so I'm debating telling everyone that I'm on antibiotics or something so that I can get away with just drinking diet coke (bleugh).

Method
Heat the oil gently and brown the lamb in a heavy based large casserole pan (you might need to do this in batches depending on how many you are cooking for).While you are sealing the lamb, roughly chop the onion and peel the garlic (I’ve specified a couple of cloves but you can decide how much you want to add – it’s up to you) before blitzing to a pulp in a food processor.

Remove the browned lamb from the pan and add the oniony pulp to the pan with a good pinch of salt (to prevent browning) and gently cook until soft.Add the spices and herbs and continue frying for a couple of minutes until fragrant.Replace the lamb into the pan (and the juices which will have accumulated in the dish) and add the tomatoes (tinned, passata and a squeeze of tomato purree) stock (about a pint), the carrots and the fresh herbs. Bring to the boil and then place on the lowest possible heat and leave to bubble away gently for 2-3 hours (or longer - just keep an eye and if it starts drying up too much add a splash of boiling water).After a few hours of gentle simmering the lamb should be soft and the sauce a little bit thicker.At this point I usually turn the oven onto a low heat (gas mark 2) and add a couple of handfuls of Orzo before giving the stew a final stir and putting the pan, lid on, into the oven to cook for 30 minutes – or until the pasta is cooked; but you can leave it on the hob on a low heat - as long as you keep checking to make sure the pasta isn't sticking to the bottom of the panMake a quick mix of feta cheese, fresh chopped mint and oregano to sprinkle on the top of the stew.

It's a bit of a faff but you could bung everything (bar the orzo) into a slow cooker I guess and then add the pasta when you got home - or as I've done this time which is to prepare everything except for the pasta the night before and then bung it on when you get in and add the pasta.

So the party was jolly good fun - until 2am - and now I am sitting at my desk - not feeling too bad hangover-wise but very, very tired . I did drink far too much vodka but I mixed it with soda and I also necked some water. There was a buffet of food which I didn't touch - I didn't even want to TBH as I'd eaten my dinner and was nicely full up.

Food for yesterday was good - a couple of little tweaks but nothing major (Apart from the vodka)

Well done for side stepping the buffet too. ... you remember what I said about the vodka? Its antibacterial wash for the insides so it doesn't count!!!

And also well done for not swiping your friend about the head. Were they being serious, or trying to wind you up? I hate it when people say things just to get a reaction but don't necessarily mean what they say....